Jan 30, 2016

About Dry Needling Pennsylvania Clinics

Tags

By Robert Edwards


People who live with chronic pain find every day a trial. Those who pull a hamstring or sprain an ankle playing their favorite sport also find the days to recovery difficult. Dry needling Pennsylvania is a therapy designed to speed healing and offer pain relief. With this form of therapy, there is no fear of becoming dependent on prescription medication or suffering its side effects.

The therapy is fairly simple in execution. It involves the insertion of a needle - similar to an acupuncture needle but often larger in size - through the skin and into muscle tissue. It can affect a precise muscle or stimulate trigger points, which are certain spots on the body that activate pain either at that point or at a specific point some distance away.

The needle used can be either solid - like an acupuncture needle - or hollow. Hollow ones are used to inject local anesthetic, corticosteroids, or other liquids into a precise spot that the therapist wants to affect. The needle elicits a desired response from a muscle; its use as an instrument for injections is of secondary importance.

Muscles sometimes knot up, as their tissue contracts and fails to release. This can be in response to tension over an extended period of time or to a sudden stress, as in a sports injury. This contraction causes pain at the immediate site and possibly in other areas of the body. The added strain can affect skeletal alignment and other muscles or connective tissue. Massage may help muscles to relax, but if manual manipulation is not enough, further measures may be called for.

Using this kind of long, thin instrument, a skilled therapist can reach an exact trouble spot. If a knot can be released, the relevant muscle can relax and lengthen, making normal movement possible again without pain. Flexibility and muscle tone can also be improved with this technique.

Insertion of the needles through the skin is usually painless. The stimulation of muscle tissue may result in cramping, as nerve endings react. Minor bruising and soreness can result from treatment. Ice packs or soaking in Epsom salt baths usually brings relief. Mild physical activity is often recommended after treatments, although anything heavy or strenuous should be avoided.

The average course of treatment is two to four sessions. This treatment is used extensively in sports medicine and in pain management. It is considered a very safe and non-invasive way to provide relief and promote healing. Side effects may be similar to those of deep tissue massage, mainly tiredness and soreness.

Many clinics in Pennsylvania offer this therapy. The therapists on staff will be able to explain the purpose of the treatment, as well as particulars of the technique. Needling holds promise for those who struggle with chronic pain, like a sore back, which can affect a person's whole quality of life. It also has applications in sports medicine and healing.




About the Author: